The Edinburgh Fringe is rapidly approaching – the Mumble caught up with a local performer who is bringing something authentically Auld Reekie to the table
Hello Andy – can you tell us where you’re from, & where do you reside today?
Yes, I’m originally from Stockport. Stockport used to be famous for hatting, and therefore for its’ mad hatters, too. These days I live in Edinburgh, which is the place where R L Stevenson was inspired to write Jekyll and Hyde. Possibly a longer answer than you were expecting, but it goes to explain the title of our 2026 Ed Fringe show! – ‘The Tale of the Original Jekyll and Hyde (Told by a Mad Hatter from Stockport)’
You’re bringing a play to this year’s Fringe, but when did you realise you were a performer?
Probably, when I was a writer. I wasn’t too keen on sitting in the shadows, watching other people deliver my lines! You have a sense of the music of them in your own head. So I thought, why not have a go yourself? So far, so good . . .
Tell us about Shackleton & his Stowaway & its stint at the 2018 Fringe?
‘Shackleton and His Stowaway’ was our first Fringe show, and it Sold Out! We just hit lucky with this. Very lucky. I wrote it as I am quite the Shackleton fanatic, but I had no idea that I am far from alone. Seemingly, Shackleton is the most popular of all British explorers. To give you an idea of why, a famous quote . . . ‘For scientific discovery give me Scott; for speed and efficiency of travel give me Amundsen; but when disaster strikes and all hope is gone, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton.’
Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Epedition was told from the point of view of the real life stowaway aboard! The play went on to get published by Methuen. Then Sold Out again for a 4 week run at Park 90, London. Then Covid hit . . .
Another hit was your Tam O’Shanter adaption?
Our ‘Tam O’Shanter, Tales, and Whisky’ was more of a slow burner. Partly, my fault! It was kind of a Dark Edinburgh show, so I opted for an Ed Fringe graveyard slot in a church. In the first week, we were a little quiet. However, we went from strength to strength, due to the quality of Burns’ writing, and due to our superb actors and musicians. The show went on to play 2 Sold Out shows for Burns Night 2023 in the Traverse, Edinburgh. It also played the Gaiety in Ayr, and the Brunton in Musselburgh.
Just a shame I missed the Gaiety show myself, as I was down with . . . Covid! Go read ‘Death and Dr Hornbook!’ The show also featured some folk tales. So go read James Hogg’s ‘The Witches of Fife’!
As an Edinburgh resident, how do you find the Fringe explosion in your city?
Personally, I enjoy it very much. I’ve been here since 2018, and Covid apart, the only year I didn’t do a show was 2019. Despite work, I still managed 4 or 5 days of attending shows. I think it’s tremendous having a world class arts festival on your own doorstep. You can have a theatre holiday in your own city!
So what are you bring to the table at this year’s Fringe?
A very famous local story. It is one that all Edinburghers know, but perhaps not in so much detail. Deacon Brodie was a very respectable locksmith/cabinet maker by day, and a masked burglar by night. i.e a real Jekyll and Hyde figure. It’s a very Dark Edinburgh story, which we tell with a good deal of dark humour!
When did the idea for the play first come?
My alter ego, Stanley, has already campaigned with Napoleon in ‘Napoleon’s 100 Days’. And been up Everest (not quite to the top!), with Mallory in ‘Everest Mallory 24’. For 2026, I wanted to do an Edinburgh story, as a comic trubute to what has become my home city. I chose Deacon Brodie, since he’s such a fascinating character. And his story encapsulates the light and the dark of the Old Town, back in its heyday. Both Brodie and Burns were walking the streets of Edinburgh back in 1787!
What is it about the Deacon Brodie/Jekyll & Hyde story that resonates with most you as a writer?
I think the story lends itself to the comic tone of my writing. I enjoy dark humour. And it doesn’t get much darker than a public hanging . . . Also, my style is a little literary, and there is a lot of atmosphere to be evoked, with moments of dramatic tension.
Tell us about the comedy aspects of the play?
I have an alter ego, Stanley. He’s a Mad Hatter from Stockport. With a few hefty sniffs from his mercury bottle he can land himself in any historical circumstance. This year, Stanley gets caught up in a series of Edinburgh burglaries. Very much against his will. Stanley can be quite hapless. Yet also able to point out the absurdities of many of The Deacon’s actions. There may be moments of physical slapstick, and a few vivid characterisations, too!
Can you sum the show up in a single sentence?
A comic madcap burgling caper through Edinburgh’s dark heart.
Will you be taking the play elsewhere after the Fringe?
We hope so! I’m a tour guide (by day), and a performer (by night). As a tour guide, I travel all over Scotland. So I would love to take Deacon Brodie (and Stanley) up to the Highlands!
And, may we ask, what new projects are bubbling up for the future in your ideas-teeming brain?
Maybe another Scottish show – MacBeth. Featuring a Mad Hatter from Stockport….
The Tale of the Original Jekyll and Hyde
(Told by a Mad Hatter from Stockport)
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